


Swan song

by ccashmere



Series: Swan Song [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, M/M, Other, The Last of Us - Freeform, The Last of Us!AU, Zombie Apocalypse, eruri - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:48:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26638345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ccashmere/pseuds/ccashmere
Summary: Erwin Smith's life changes — whether for better or for worse, he doesn't know — when he's assigned a certain job that he thinks will be just another simple task. Little does he know, nothing will ever be the same again.
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith
Series: Swan Song [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1937980
Kudos: 7





	1. The Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erwin and his friends are on their way to pick up a smuggling in shipment of much-needed supplies. Little do they know, there'll be a change of plans. They discover a Firefly, who negotiates a deal that changes everything.

_**PART ONE** _

_Knock, Knock, Knock._

Erwin's eyes opened as the sudden noise pulled him from his sleep. He laid there for a good minute or two, staring up at the ceiling of his room. The paint on the walls was peeling, the floorboards were creaky, and everything was old and worn down and the years it'd spent lacking proper maitinence had really taken a toll on well, everything. The outbreak had been.. 10 years ago now? Erwin had only been 14 or so at the time of the outbreak. Society had been around for thousands and thousands of years, yet it had only taken a few days for it to crumble. 

_Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!_

Pulled from his thoughts yet again, Erwin hopped from the bed. He reached for his shirt, which he'd discarded on the dresser, before pulling it over his head and opening the door. He was greeted by the much expected sight of Nanaba and Mike. 

"Let's go." Nanaba said, glancing behind herself and down the hall, before looking back to Erwin. "Hange is already there. They'll get bored and find trouble of we make them sit any longer." She said. Erwin just nodded, grabbing his bag from the hook on the door and stepping out. He closed the door behind him, locking it, then turning to the two. 

Mike took the lead, walking ahead and down the hallway of the apartment building. Just as everything else, it was slowly deteriorating. Peeled paint, stained walls, the regular.

Erwin's mind wandered to Hange as they walked. They could become quite crazy at times. Hange could talk for an hour straight without pause, not even stopping to breathe. They could fight surprisingly well, completely unbothered by violence. They also had a tolerance for pain that surprised him, almost as if they themself didn't quite know what they could and couldn't take. Erwin wasn't sure what had happened to Hange during the night of the outbreak. They cried in their sleep, mumbling about someone named Moblit. How _everything would end up ok_ and that _it was just a bite._

He figured that whatever had happened to Hange that day had knocked a screw loose. Erwin could understand that, how something that shocking could absolutely break a person's mind. One day, everyone was happy and safe with those they loved. And the next... They were gone. 

"Keep your eyes down." Came Mike's voice, as he pushed the door open and stepped out. There, a few soldiers had five civilians lined up against the wall. One soldier held a scanner to the back of their necks. 

"clear... clear... clear... clear... infected!" The soldier had made his way down the row, before pointing to the last in line. Erwin kept his eyes on the ground, walking alongside his friends. Although, he could still hear all of it.

"No! Please! I'm not infected! Please, I have two children! M-my son is nine, my daughter is twelve! She's diabetic, I had to leave to get her m-" 

_Bang!_

The woman was cut off abruptly as she was shot, she fell forward, hitting the ground with a heavy thump. Blood pooled underneath her head from where the bullet had hit, a gaping whole now in between her eyes. 

"Call the cleanup crew! Get these four out of here." Another soldier called, waving his hand in emphasis. His voice held no pity, no grief. He didn't mention the children that the mother had been talking about. For all Erwin knew, they'd probably end up dead in a few weeks too. 

They veered into another building, walking into an empty room in the back of the complex. Under a rug was a makeshift 'trap door' that lead down into one of the tunnels that they could escape the central quarantine zone. Nanaba climbed down the ladder first, then Mike, then Erwin. He was sure to close the door as he went down. 

"There you are!" Hange's voice echoed, cutting through the silence. "I was just about ready to leave without you!" 

"Yeah." Nanaba said, moving over to a table that was lit by a little lantern. She picked up a pistol, examining it, before tucking it into her bag. "Blame Erwin for that." 

Hange's eyes moved to him, their head tilting slightly in curiosity. "We're you drinking again?"they asked. Erwin gave a glare to Nanaba. "No. No- It.. It doesn't matter. We're all here now. Are you all ready?" 

"Yup!" Hange replied, grabbing their bag and swinging it around their shoulders. "Yeah." Nanaba replied, glancing to Mike, who just nodded. 

"Do you think Nick will actually have it this time?" Hange asked as they made their way down the tunnel. "He better." Erwin stated in reply. They were on their way to pick up a shipment of medication and more guns. Mostly the guns. They got it from Nick and his group. Nick was a pastor before the outbreak and he was almost as crazy Hange. Although the difference between Nick and Hange was that Nick was a lying, untrustworthy bastard. He was cowardly and disloyal and would go behind your back in an instant. They'd had to deal with him quite a bit. The last two shipments had been late, and the time before those he'd supposedly lost it. This was the last straw. 

They reached the meeting place, having climbed out of the tunnels and reached an old red-brick building. As expected, Nick wasn't there. 

"His men will be waiting for us by the time we get to his turf." Mike said, giving a small sigh. "He knows he broke the deal." Erwin said with a low sigh, frowning a little bit. He knew this would happen, although he'd secretly hoped that something would go right for once. "Let's go, then." Nanaba said, even in her usually reserved voice, one would be able to detect hints of irritation. 

After that, they'd made their way down to the old warehouse that Nick and his little group stayed in. And yet again, as expected, their predictions had been correct. 

"Hey, man. You need to back off right now." warned a man, he and his two other friends were armed. "Conflict can be avoided." 

Hange gave a hoarse laugh, a wide grin on their face. "Your ol' buddy Nick should've thought about that before he broke his deal. Again." They said, taking a step closer. 

"Yo! I said back off!" Warned the man from before, raising his gun to point it at Hange as they walked closer. Suddenly, they lunged at the man. They took hold of the gun in his hands, charging him and forcing him to walk backwards. The gun fired, though the bullet flew off into the air. "Crazy bitch!" the man shouted, before yet another shot rang out and he fell to the floor. The other two went for Hange, although Nanaba and Erwin took them out. 

They'd had to get through about 10 more people, before Hange pointed a finger and said "Look!" It drew the group's attention, their eyes landing on Nick as he rushed from one of the buildings and veered into an alleyway. It was Hange who ran forward first, rushing ahead of them and into the alley. Erwin was soon to follow them, Mike and Nanaba moving close behind. By the time Erwin arrived, Hange had a metal pipe in their hands and Nick was on the floor. They had a sickening grin shaping their lips, a rabid look glinting fiercely in their brown eyes. 

"Where's our shipment, Nick?" Erwin asked as he approached, being sure to stand a ways away from Hange. They were scary when they were like this. "I-I don't have it-" Nick stammered out, curling up further and trying to hide his face. "Yeah, we got that." Nanaba said sharply, stepping closer. "Where is it?" Erwin questioned. "W-Well.. I can't say.. I can't-" 

Erwin gave Hange a nod and that predatory grin grew wider. Raising The metal pole above their head, preparing to strike. "Wait! Wait! Ok! The fireflies have your shipment! I owed them- Farlan h-he has it." 

Hange hit him anyways, the pole striking his ribs and drawing a choked scream from the man. Erwin swore he'd heard a crunch. "You owed _us_ , Nick." Nanaba said, her tone low. "Nevermind. Leave him. Let's go." Nanaba spoke, then turning heel and leaving. Erwin followed, Hange and Mike following soon after. "Hey!" Nick's voice echoed after them. "You can't just leave me here! Wait!" 

But they didn't. They left him, until his calls could no longer be heard. Erwin lead the group, walking them through the buildings. Curfew would be soon, he guessed, which meant that they had to find this firefly and quick. Farlan. One of their leaders, Erwin thought. "What did Nick owe the fireflies?" Hange asked, the pole still clutched in one of their hands. They were calm now, though. "Three months worth of supplies, apparently." Erwin replied. Nanaba gave a scoff, rolling her eyes and saying: "Yeah. Our supplies." 

"I expected to see you here." came the sudden addition of a voice from behind them. Erwin drew his gun, spinning on his heels and being greeted by the sight of a man with blond hair and pale blue eyes. He wore a firefly pendant around his neck. It seemed his friends had the same idea, though, because both Nanaba and Mike had their guns pointed at the man. 

He put his hands up. "Relax. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm assuming you found Nick?" he asked. "Yeah. He's been dealt with." Hange replied, watching the stranger with an unreadable look in their eyes. 

"I'm going to bet that you're Farlan. Hand over our supplies and we'll pretend this never even happened." Erwin said, lowering his gun although remaining on guard. "No can do. Sorry." Farlan said in reply, shaking his head. "My people need those supplies." 

"As do ours." Erwin replied, his patience beginning to grow thin. "That's three months of supplies that should've been going to us." 

"I don't ask Nick where he gets his payments. But I paid for those supplies. I can't just hand them over." Farlan replied. 

"Or we could shoot you." Nanaba replied calmly. "And take our stuff back by force." 

"No. The fireflies are weak but there are more of them than there are of us." Erwin said sternly, looking to his friends and then to Farlan. 

"Let's go. If the soldiers spot us we'll be executed. Follow me, we'll talk on the way." Farlan said, turning and leading them between a gap in two buildings. He moved slowly but urgently. 

"So, we've heard you guys have been taking pretty hard hits lately." Hange commented, trying to initiate conversation. Farlan was silent for a moment, walking ahead of them. Erwin couldn't see his face, but he knew that those pale blue eyes would probably be solemn and worried. "That's right." Farlan replied. "Executing us in the streets. Those pigs are only proving our point. We won't back down until the last man." confidence laced his voice. Erwin knew that this was true. They wouldn't surrender easily. 

"And our supplies?" Mike asked. Farlan sucked in a breath, then let it out in a sigh. "Yes, your supplies. We'll make an arrangement." He said. Erwin tilted his head slightly. "An arrangement?" he asked. "What are you getting at?" Nanaba asked bluntly. 

"I need you to smuggle something out of the city for me. I'll give you all three shipments and more, if we can spare them." Farlan said. Hange let out a low laugh. "And what's to stop you from saying that and then bailing on us?" They questioned, tone sharp. 

"I'm sure you know where to find me. Our quarrels aren't with you. It's with the Millitary Police." Farlan replied. And, for whatever reason, Erwin trusted him to an extent. Not completely, but he knew what Farlan said was true. The Fireflies wanted the better for the people. They weren't bad people. Not exactly. 

Farlan hopped up onto a dumpster, hauling himself through the window of an old brick building. Erwin and his friends followed suit, walking up a few metal steps with Farlan, until they reached a large, metal door. The Firefly opened the door, moving into the room. Erwin followed behind. 

Erwin was taken off guard as a small, though shockingly fast shape lunged at him from the corner of the room. He braced himself, catching the blade of a knife in one of his hands. He looked down, seeing raven black hair and icy blue-gray eyes that had a fiery look to them. A kid? Erwin could feel the warmth of blood contrast the cold, metallic feeling of the blade as it dug into his palm. He grabbed the wrist of his attacker, trying to shove him backwards, though he was persistent. 

"Levi!" Farlan shouted, and on command he backed off. Almost like a guard dog. This supposedly Levi fell back, watching him and he moved away, eyes fierce and alive. Scary, almost. Erwin glanced towards his friends. Both Mike and Nanaba had their gun's drawn and Hange looked ready to kill, if needed. "It's fine." Erwin said to them, now registering the pain in his hand. He reached up to grasp firmly at the deep gash on his hand. "It's fine? That runt tried to kill you!" Hange snapped, their eyes moving away from Erwin to look at Levi, who was now sitting on a rusted metal bench against the wall. 

Erwin took a moment to examine the unfamiliar figure. Levi was incredibly small, puny, even. His posture was hunched slightly and his elbows rested against his knees. His hands were wrapped in bandages, the formerly white cloth stained bloody at the knuckles. His lip was split, pale skin and dark hair styles in an undercut. He wore black ripped jeans and a dirtied white tank top, over it was a jacket that looked like it used to be red, at one point in time. Erwin, oddly enough, found himself admiring the mysterious man. He was puny in size, although the sheer strength in his attack had caught even Erwin off guard. 

"This is Levi. He's what you'll be smuggling." Farlan said, glancing towards Erwin's hands. " _Him_?" Hange questioned. "Why?" 

Farlan looked at them for a moment, before letting out a sigh. "You're supposed to do the job. Not ask questions." He replied. 

"You want me to go with them?" Levi asked, his tone carrying hints of disgust as his dull eyes swept over Erwin and his friends. "Yes. I can't come. I have to stay here." Farlan replied simply, meeting Levi's gaze. "Fuck no." The small man replied, glaring challengingly at Farlan. "Levi, we've been over this." 

Levi didn't reply. He just rolled his eyes and gave a scoff, looking away from Farlan and back at Erwin with a glare. 

"At the edge of town you'll find the _St. Sina Church._ " Farlan began, looking towards Erwin. "You'll rendezvous there. A group of Fireflies will meet you. Pass him off to them and then return to me. You'll get your payment." 

"And if you cheat us?" Hange asked, tilting their head. "Then you find me. And we both know what happens after that." 

"And if the soldiers find you before we get back?" Erwin asked. "Someone will get your shipments to you. One way or another." 

A silence fell over them. Erwin glanced toward levi, who watched them with an unreadable look in his gaze. No one spoke. Not for a minute or so. 

"Deal?" Farlan asked. 

"Deal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This is one of my first fanfictions. Any thoughts or commentary would be good! I'd love to hear what you think of it, although keep anything unkind to yourself. You can find me on Tumblr @vesperr any support would be appreciated.


	2. And So, Our Journey Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erwin and his friends have begun their Job, with a new addition to their band — Levi. It seems like just another Job, until they get stopped and checked by soldiers... that's when they realise that this Deal they made with Farlan may be much more important than they had anticipated it to be.

"I've never smuggled a person before." Erwin commented, as he and Levi made their way down the corridor and into a room. The building they were in was even worse than what you'd find in the Quarantine Zones. They had snuck their way to the city's borders. There were no fences to protect them from infected here, and civilians weren't allowed this far out. The building was mostly uninhabited, which explained its current state. The walls and ceilings were covered in water stains, some windows were broken, the wallpaper had long but peeled off, although now spray-painted Firefly tags decorated the walls. This was one of their buildings. The soldiers ignored this one, so they should be safe for the time being. 

"Oh?" Levi replied, glancing towards Erwin and raising a brow. Nanaba and Mike were going to the Firefly camp to assure that their reward once this was all said and done was the real deal. Erwin wasn't sure where Hange had gone, although they were probably somewhere nearby. He just hoped that they wouldn't get themself into _too_ much trouble. 

Erwin glanced down at the smaller man beside him. He'd realised long ago that Levi wasn't huge on conversation. Or... Maybe he just wasn't huge on conversation with strangers. Erwin didn't know. He couldn't help but feel curious, though. Usually, he had no issue with reading people. Yet, with Levi he hadn't a clue what this man was thinking. His expression was always a blank slate, his voice always monotone. 

"Yeah. What do they want with you, anyways? Farlan said you weren't a Firefly." Erwin spoke, watching Levi frown a little bit more. "I'm not. I don't want to get involved in all that shit." Levi replied, his tone sharp. Erwin continued, "Then how do you know him?" 

Levi frowned again, this time turning his head to glare up at Erwin with those cold, yet fierce eyes. "Why do you care?" He asked, squinting up at him. 

"I'm just curious. You say you don't want to get involved with the Fireflies, yet it seems you know him pretty well." Erwin said, watching Levi's glare sharpen even more than it already was. "What makes you think that?" Levi questioned, looking away. "You listen to him." 

"So?" Levi's eyes met his as he turned his head again. "You don't seem like the kind to take orders from anyone." Erwin earned a scoff out of Levi as he said this. "Fine. If it matters so much, we're old friends."

"I understand that you don't trust us." Erwin began. "Tch. Understatement of the year." Levi interrupted him. " _But_ , we're not going to hurt you." 

Levi didn't reply, simply choosing to walk beside Erwin in silence. Soon, they reached the room. Erwin opened the door, which creaked open so loudly he thought it was going to fall off of its hinges. Levi stepped in, glancing around with a look of faint disgust in his eyes. He scrunched up his nose a bit, kicking at an old piece of trash on the stained carpeting. "Disgusting."

Erwin sat down on an old sofa, it creaked under his weight. "Sit down, Levi." Erwin patted the seat beside him, offering the man a smile. Levi hesitated, before moving to an arm chair and sitting in that instead. 

"We'll get going soon, I suspect." Erwin said, trying to initiate conversation. "Farlan can't come with us, though." 

"I know." Levi replied, looking out of the murky, unclean window. It was pouring rain outside, the setting sun making the clouds appear a menacing dusky red color. Erwin watched as Levi touched his fingertips gently to the glass. "He did say He'd meet with us, though. At the rendezvous." At this, Levi just nodded gently. 

"Well," Erwin began. "I'm going to take a nap. You should too. We'll probably have conflict with the soldiers at the border." And just as before, Levi nodded. Erwin, taking this as an approval, laid back and allowed his eyes to fall shut. The sound of the rain was soothing, the patter of it against the window easily lulled him into slumber. 

Maybe two hours or so later, Erwin found himself roused from his sleep by... was that..? whimpering? 

His eyes opened, staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling. He felt a slight jolt of alarm course through his body, before his mind processed where he was. Right. 

Erwin's mind went back to the soft, pitiful sound coming from across the room. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, glancing towards the small shape in the corner of the dimly lit room. Levi was nothing but a silhouette, shaking and shivering. He watched for a moment, listening to the panicked mumblis, hitched breathes, and little cries he was letting ohe's A nightmare? Probably. 

Standing, Erwin crossed the room, kneeling in front of the chair and frowning slightly. Levi was curled up into a ball. He looked _so_ much smaller than he already was. Erwin couldn't help but feel pity. 

"Levi." Erwin reached out. "It's just a dream." He placed his hand gently on the other's shoulder. And, like the trigger of a trap, Levi jerked awake and into action, both hands grabbing Erwin's wrists tightly in his own two, small hands. Levi looked at him, eyes scanning over his face once... twice... The grip on Erwin's wrists loosened, before he fully pulled away. Even in the darkness, Erwin could see the look in his eyes. Fierce and sharp. Erwin had just met this man, but knew for a fact that he was a fighter. He _knew_ that Levi would fight until he couldn't any longer. Erwin found an odd sense of admiration for the small, mysterious man. He felt the urge to learn about him, to get to know him better. It almost caught Erwin off guard. _Almost_. 

"I'm sorry." Erwin began. "I didn't mean to startle you." At this, Levi just shook his head and looked away. 

Erwin sat down on the floor, resting his back against the wall and looking at Levi. "Bad dreams suck, huh?" Erwin asked, surprised at how gentle his own voice was. Levi just nodded, looking out the window. 

Suddenly, the door to the room opened, the familiar shapes of Mike and Nanaba entered the room. "It's the real deal." Nanaba said. Then, Hange pushed their way past the two and into the room. "It's practically a jackpot!" 

"Good." Erwin replied, standing up from where he was seated against the wall. "Are you ready to go, Levi?" 

"Yeah." Was the simple reply Erwin got, watching as the smaller man stood up and walked past him. "Let's go, then." 

Upon exiting the building, it was clear that the rain had barely let up. It wasn't coming down as aggressively as it had been before, although spend about ten minutes too long outside and you'd be soaked. The air was crisp and a bit cold, thick with the scent of humidity. The air was always fresher outside of the Quarantine Zones. Even with the lack of cars clogging city streets, it somehow got stuffy. Or, Perhaps, Erwin thought, it was just the fact that they were caged that made the outside seem so much purer. 

"The rain will help us cover from patrols." Mike said, glancing off into the darkness. Hange pulled out a flashlight from their bag, Nanaba and Erwin doing the same. "It's been raining for the last few hours, make sure you watch for collapsed areas of ground and sinkholes. Oh, and if the mud looks too deep, it probably is." Erwin informed. At that last part, Hange gave a chuckle. "Yeah! Wouldn't want a repeat of last time. Whoopsie."

"We almost got caught then." Nanaba said, smiling ever so slightly. "And if the mud was so slick it went up to _my_ knees, imagine what it'd do to short-bus over here!" Hange motioned to Levi, giving a laugh. "We wouldn't even know he'd sunk!" 

Erwin caught the look of _pure_ irritation in Levi's eyes, even in the darkness. He cleared his throat. "Yes, well." He clicked on the flashlight. "We're here to do a job, not make enemies, Hange." 

Hange just rolled their eyes, clicking on their flashlight as Nanaba mimicked Erwin in doing so. "Oh, please, Erwin." They scoffed. "It's just playful banter." At that, Hange reached forward to pinch at Levi's cheek. And in one quick, fluid motion, the back of Levi's hand met Hange's face. Their hands retracted immediately, and, if it weren't for the flashlight then Erwin wouldn't be able to see that look in their dark eyes. Hange just let out a low laugh, Levi scoffed. "Keep your filthy hands off of me." Levi warned, receiving another laugh from Hange. They put their hands in the air, surrendering. "Ok, ok."

Levi just scoffed and began walking ahead, Erwin quickly followed him, shining the light ahead so he could watch where he stepped. Erwin could hear the clicking of the others' boots behind them in the mud. The rain had calmed down do a gentle patter, although the drops of water were still unrelenting. "Hange is a bit crazy sometimes. They're like that with everyone." Erwin said, walking beside Levi. He didn't want the other man to be uncomfortable. Although, he wasn't supposed to be making friends with him, he couldn't help but care. 

"Yeah, sure." Levi replied, his voice unreadable. "So long as they keep their hands to themself, we'll be fine." 

Erwin could understand that. He simply nodded softly, walking along cautiously. They reached a large hole in the ground, where some of the street had collapsed away. It wasn't that deep, but the fall wouldn't feel good and Erwin could see the murky depths of collected rainwater sloshing around noisily. He raised his hand up, signaling for his friends to stop. They did, the clicking of their boots ceasing. Nanaba came up beside him, peering over the edge. "It's a pretty big gap." She said, shining her flashlight over the water. "Long, too. Going around it could be a hassle." Erwin added. His attention was drawn away from Nanaba by Levi's voice. 

"What's that over there?" The small man asked, pointing to the farther end of the crevice in the street. Erwin could see the faint outlines of a shape that just about stretched across the gap. Shining his light towards it, he saw an old semi-truck. The lower portions of it were submerged in the water, but it formed a bridge across the gap, give or take. "Good eye." Hange commented, although their compliment was only answered with a scoff. Erwin then began walking over towards the truck, which had seemingly been there when the road had caved. Hopping off the edge and onto it, landing with a loud, hollowed metallic clang. The truck rocked ever so slightly, teetering uncertaintly in the water, but stayed. "It's safe." Erwin said, beginning to carefully walk across. His flashlight was focused in front of him, but in the corners of his eyes he could see the faint glisten of the dark water. He could hear it too, angry and active. 

"If we drown and die blame Levi!" Hange said, before hopping down onto the truck and following after Erwin. "If you end up frowning in may not be accidental." Levi replied, following Hange. Nanaba and Mike came next, walking across the wide top and reaching the end. Erwin pulled himself up, back onto the street. Levi and Hange followed, then Nanaba, then Mike. 

"See any soldiers?" Nanaba asked, looking around. "Well, we can't see much of anything." Hange replied, motioning out to the darkness. "Seems we're clear for now." Mike said. 

"Good. There's a collapsed building over there. Looks like we could hop on top of that car to climb over." Erwin said, shining his light towards. "Or we could go forward." He then shone his light towards several cars, trucks, and semi's. They were all caught in a messy traffic jam. They'd probably been there since the outbreak first occurred in this city. They were rusted over and covered with moss and little vines, frozen in time. Forever. 

"The cars would provide more cover." Levi began, "But we may encounter soldiers if we take a path that direct." He said, glancing to Erwin. "The collapsed building would be loud, though. And if one of us were to get stuck under a piece of rubble we wouldn't have time to get away without getting caught." 

He made a good point, Erwin thought. The street would be more direct, but quieter with more places to hide. "We should take the streets." Mike piped up, glancing to Levi. "He seems like he knows what he's doing." 

"Let's go, then." Nanaba said, taking the lead. Erwin followed, glancing to the cars as he walked by them. He wondered what had happened to some of the people. The luggage was still in there, some of the keys still remained in the ignition. It made him feel oddly uneasy. These cars would never move again. They'd never drive a dad to work, or drop a child off at school. Never. Never again. These buildings would never be lit up again, offices would remain dark and empty and grocery stores would remain unstocked. Humanity would remain full of broken, damaged people who did what they had to do to survive. People who didn't want to end up like their friends or co-workers or family from their lives before the outbreak. 

"There's a roadblock up ahead." Nanaba said, dragging Erwin from his thoughts and back into the real world. Up ahead there was an intersection, the road they were headed up blocked. So that's what happened to these people. The millitary decided that they didn't get to live. That they could sit in their cars or get out and run, but either way it was clear that these people would be slaughtered like livestock either way. Ripped to shreds by infected or mowed down by the soldiers and their guns. 

"I don't see or hear any trucks nearby." Erwin began, "It should be clear to cross it." 

The group agreed, beginning to squeeze between the large concrete slabs meant to prevent vehicles from passing. "I wonder if any of them made it." Nanaba commented, glancing back at the cars. "No." Hange replied, their comment catching Erwin off guard. "No, they're all gone." They said solemnly, shaking their head. 

Erwin opened his mouth to speak, to say something to comfort them, although suddenly a bright blinding light clicked on. "Get on your knees, hands on your head!" Demanded a booming voice. There were two light stands poised on either corner of the street, beaming down blinding white light. 

"Motion activated." Mike said quietly, glancing to either light. Erwin motioned to his group, slowly dropping to his knees. The street was cold and hard, he could feel the water begin to soak his knees. Raising his hands he placed them on his head. His group followed. 

In order, the line went from left to right: Nanaba, Hange, Mike, Erwin, and Levi. 

There were two soldiers, that Erwin could see. He guessed this was the post they were assigned to guard for the night. 

"Miriam, call for back up. We've got five of them." The soldier commented to his friend, walking their way. He had a pistol of some kind in his hands, Erwin could see. He tucked it away, though, pulling a scanner from his bag. 

He started with Nanaba, placing the device to the back of her neck and waiting for about ten second, before it beeped. "Clear!" 

He moved down to Hange, doing the same, although they let out a little chuckle. The soldier looked down at them, glaring. "Something funny?" He asked, which earned another little giggle from them. "No, nothing." Hange replied, although gave yet another quiet laugh. "Oh yeah?" The soldier rose a brow. "Cause you and your merry band got caught outside the QZ's borders. The fact that it's after curfew makes it worse." Now it was his turn to chuckle. "What are you gonna do?" Hange asked, turning their head ever so slightly to look back at him. "Put us in time out?" The soldier ingored her, earning a little beep from the device. "Clear! Surprisingly." 

He moved on to Mike, who didn't speak or move. "You're getting arrested or shot. Either way, MP's won't take lightly to this disobedience." The soldier gave a laugh. "Clear!" 

He then moved down the row to Erwin, placing the device against the back of his neck as he'd done to the others. Erwin found himself glancing over to Levi, who's dark eyes were fixed on the ground. He could tell, even in the straining light, that the small man was nervous. Scared, even. He'd barely moved the whole time, not giving one comment or scoff, not even sparing a glance towards the soldier. "Clear!" 

Then it was Levi's turn, the device being pressed to his neck as it had been with all the others. Erwin watched as Levi's breath seemed to hitch as he began to hold it, the look in his eyes going from anxious to something violent, like that of what you'd see in the gaze of a caged animal. And just like that, Levi moved. He reached for the gun set on Erwin's hip, grabbing it and spinning around to face the soldier, landing on his back, gun angled up towards the soldier's head. 

_**Bang! Bang!** _

The movement was lightning quick. The device hit the floor, then the soldier's body. Nanaba was the next to move, as the other soldier drew her gun, pulled away from her task of calling for backup. There was yet another shot fired, the soldier hitting the ground. Her radio, which had hit the floor along with her, crackled with static. 

"Farlan set us up." Nanaba said, pulling herself to her feet. Mike and Hange also stood. "What?" Mike asked, glancing to her as she crossed the street to the device. 

Levi had gotten to his feet, backing away from them. He dropped Erwin's gun for good measure, too. Erwin grabbed it, looking from Nanaba to Levi. He could see the fear in the man's eyes. 

"I'm not infected." Levi said sharply, cautiously. "Bullshit." Nanaba hissed, grabbing the device and showing the others. "I'm not." Levi growled, that caged look appearing in his eyes again. Erwin turned as he heard a soft _click_ and saw that Mike now had his pistol pointed towards Levi. Nanaba also had her gun pointed at him. Erwin knew that Levi wouldn't allow himself to just die like that, he wouldn't give in. "Let's just all calm down," Erwin said, glancing back to his friends. "Calm down? Erwin, he's infected." Nanaba replied, stepping closer to Levi. 

Levi pulled up his sleeve, showing them the bite. "Three weeks." He said, stepping closer to them. " _What?_ " Mike asked, even his tone was lined with edge. "Three weeks. I got bit three weeks ago." 

"Bull." Nanaba replied. "It takes a day, usually less for someone to turn." She added. Hange pushed past them, approaching Levi and grabbing his wrist, pulling his arm closer. Erwin too approached, Shining his flashlight over the bite. It was grotesque. Around the teeth marks were pale, swollen bumps and growths. Hange gently trailed their fingers over the bite. "Hange, don't touch him!" Nanaba snapped. 

"He's telling the truth." Hange said, their eyes sweeping over the bite. They let Levi go. "He's- What? You're really going to believe this?" Nanaba asked, lowering her gun slightly and looking at Hange with a bewildered look in her eyes. "The bite would be bloody. Open and raw. It's healed over." They said, stepping towards Nanaba. Their hand found the barrel of the gun, lowering it for her. "What-? No. No that's-" Hange silenced her with a sharp glare. "I was a doctor before the outbreak. I know when a wound is fresh and when it is old." Hange then let out a laugh, spinning around to face Levi. "So, you're immune? How'd you get bit? What stage of infected bit you? huh?" 

Levi took a step back. "Just because you were the only one who didn't stick a gun in my face doesn't make us friends." Levi growled out in reply, pulling his sleeve down. "They called for backup. We need to move." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This is one of my first fanfictions. Any thoughts or commentary would be good! I'd love to hear what you think of it, although keep anything unkind to yourself. You can find me on Tumblr @vesperr any support would be appreciated.


	3. On Our Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After evading the guards, Erwin and his group come to the shocking realisation that Levi is actually immune. He is Humanity's hope for a second chance at life without the infection. All they have to do is deliver him to the fireflies.

"This way!" Erwin shouted, turning sharply into an alley between two old buildings. There, he found an old backdoor on the side of one of them. Gripping the rusted, formerly silver handle of the door, he gave it a twist once... twice... The door didn't budge much. 

"Erwin.." Hange said, caution lacing their tone. "They're getting closer." They added, staring down towards the way they'd just came from. "The other end of the alley is barricaded." Nanaba added, looking in the opposite direction of where Hange was staring. "We're cornered, it's too late to go back out there." Levi added, his voice low although surprisingly calm, given the current status of their situation. 

His friends were indeed right. The distant rumble of the truck they'd been running from was growing gradually closer, the menacing sound unrelenting as it neared. 

"Damn it." Erwin hissed, before backing up and charging the door. The contact with the metal surface sent pain coursing through his shoulder. Although, he didn't give up. He hit it again, and again, and again until...

_**Crash!** _

Suddenly, the door gave way with a loud groan of defeat, and Erwin stumbled forward. He managed to brace himself, though as he did, he was knocked right off balance again as a body slammed into him. Erwin found himself sandwiched between an infected and a wall. With a grunt, he pressed his hands to his attacker's chest, trying to avoid the foul, stained teeth that snapped at him. The infected screamed and its long, dirty nails tried to dig at his skin through the sleeve of his jacket as its hands gripped at him. 

Then with a _clang_ the infected, which he now saw was a clicker by the crown of fungus circling its skull, fell back with a cry that was almost human. Levi had attacked the thing, an old wrench in his hands. The infected was only down for a moment, before it let out a sickening snarl and flung itself at the small man, only for Levi to repeat the action. Now, bits of its fungal crown had been broken off and some pale, sickly skin had been revealed. 

Levi stepped forward, raising the wrench once more and striking it once, twice, and then one final time. This time, it broke through the skull with a sickening crack, dark blood oozing generously from the newly exposed brain... if you could even consider it a brain at this point. 

"Good call," Hange said, pushing the door closed. Mike then nodded to them and he and Hange pushed an old metal shelf to block it. "Not using a gun to kill it." They finished, smiling to him. 

"Yeah." Levi replied, then glanced to Erwin. 

"Thank you." Erwin said, letting out a breath. The fading adrenaline that the attack had caused to course through him now fading, causing his knees to feel a little shaky. 

"Are you bit?" Levi asked, ignoring the thanks and stepping closer. His dull blue eyes seemed to sweep over Erwin, checking for any signs of injury. Erwin too glanced down at himself, before coming to the conclusion that he hadn't been harmed in the attack. 

"No, I'm not." He replied. "You're to thank for that." Erwin offered, trying to make friends with the man. Clearly, Levi cared for him to some degree to have saved him. Either that, or, he did it for his own benefit. Erwin couldn't tell. 

"Just be more careful next time." Levi said, before turning and stepping further into the building and looking around. It seemed to be a convenience store of some kind. Shelves lined the store and there was a counter with a cash register. The flooring, at one point, had seemed to be a black and white checkered pattern though now was dirtied and some of it was blanketed in thick moss. The windows were boarded up tightly and a table, and a few chairs, had been shoved in front of the door. To the group's surprise, quite a bit of the items still remained. It was primarily looted, but it wasn't completely empty. Probably due to the fact that whoever owned this store had closed it up tight before the riots had begun. 

"Looks like this poor fella owned the shop before." Hange commented, kneeling down and examining the growths on the infected's body. They reached out a hand, gently running it across one of the ridges of the branches of fungus that circled its skull. 

"Don't touch, Hange." Erwin said sternly, receiving a frown from the other. "Gee," Hange's eyes scanned the aperture in the skull where Levi had struck it. "For such a little guy you sure are strong." They laughed at this, looking to Levi. "You're like Erwin's knight in shining armor." 

"Shut up." Levi replied coldly, rolling his eyes and walking further into the store. He picked up a little snow globe on the shelf, wiping the layers of dust off of it that it'd gathered over the course of several years untouched. Erwin took note of the little hints of curiosity in Levi's eyes, as he shook it and watched the little bits of 'snow' fall down onto the tiny house ornament at the bottom. Erwin had only known Levi a few hours, although in those hours he'd never really seen any emotion in those eyes. 

"Hey," Erwin said as he approached Levi. "Pretty, isn't it? It's simple things like that, things no one would pay any mind to in the Old World, that you don't realise you'd miss." 

Levi seemed to think for a moment, putting the snow globe back onto the shelf with a small frown. He then looked up at Erwin, those silver eyes scanning his. It was in this moment that Erwin realised what depth Levi's gaze had. Behind those tired eyes was alot more than bitter cold.

"Yeah, I guess." Levi finally replied, looking away with a slight sigh. "There's no point in dwelling on that." He then added, shaking his head. 

"You have quick reflexes." Erwin commented. "Who taught you to fight?" He asked. Erwin didn't know if he'd get an answer, but he was curious. In asking Levi such a thing, he was reminded of the now bandaged gash across the palm of his hands from just hours prior. He gently flexed his fingers, wincing slightly at the hints of evident pain that would likely linger for quite some time. 

"Why does it matter?" Levi asked. And, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the sliver of vulnerability was gone. The emotion that had shown in his dull blue eyes when he'd been holding the snow globe had faded away and been substituted by that blank slate. 

"No reason." Erwin said, shaking his head. His blue eyes never left Levi, staring at him as though this man was the most interesting thing in the world. Erwin had to admit, he couldn't help but acknowledge the growing curiosities he had about him. Erwin barely had trouble reading those around him. He always had an idea of what they were going to say or what action they'd take next. Though, with Levi, it was like looking at a page of jumbled letters. The man was a complete mystery to him. He couldn't understand how or why, but he knew that the man was special in countless different ways.

"Welp!" Hange's voice yanked Erwin out of his thoughts. He blinked and turned towards them. "I think we should best get some sleep, huh?" 

"I agree." Nanaba said, pulling away from the wall she'd been leaning on. Mike just nodded, moving to stand beside her. "We have a long walk tomorrow," Erwin said in agreement. In all honesty, he was glad Hange had spoken up. He was incredibly tired, although that wasn't really anything new. He usually didn't get the best sleep, although he'd become accustomed to it. 

"Yep." Hange said. "We should get short-stack to those fireflies by tomorrow evening." 

Something about that made Erwin feel... Disappointed. Maybe even a little sad. He'd grown oddly attached to the man, despite only having known him for a short while. Levi had, afterall, saved their lives twice now. He wanted to get to know him better, learn about him. Erwin knew it was foolish, getting attached to someone so easily. He mentally scolded himself for such behavior. Levi cared nothing for him. The chance of them being friends, of him joining their merry little band, was something that wouldn't happen. Ever. 

The group eventually settled down. Nanaba and Mike had settled down in the corner, laying on a raggedy old sheet that Mike had rolled up in his backpack. They'd had that thing for years. Nanaba was nestled into his side and Mike had an arm curled around her. They both looked so peaceful; something that wasn't common in this day and age. It made Erwin sad, almost, that peace had become such a rare thing to find. Hange had curled up in a patch of moss, laying on top of one of their jackets that they carried, though very rarely wore. Erwin had spread out his coat on the floor, laying back on it and staring up at the ceiling.

He could sleep, though. He was all too aware that Levi was awake. He could see him on the other side of the room, sitting down with his back to the mossy wall. Even in the dim lighting, he could tell that he was awake. Erwin laid there, thinking, contemplating. He wanted to go over and maybe say something. 

So he did just that. Erwin sat up, climbing to his feet and approaching the other. He sat down beside Levi, glancing over towards him. As he did so, his eyes met Levi's. 

"Hey," Erwin said quietly, keeping his voice hushed as to not disturb the others. 

"Hey." Levi replied simply. It was clear that he wasn't huge on conversation. Erwin didn't relent, though. 

"Do you know where they're taking you?" He asked. "After all this is over, I mean." There was nearly a hint of hope in his voice. Maybe if he knew, then they'd be able to meet again. It was a stupid thought, but he couldn't help it from slipping into his mind. 

Levi gave a low scoff. "You think they tell me this shit? All I know is that it's some hospital a couple states away." He asked, raising a brow. "I have no clue." 

"And you trust him? Farlan, I mean." At this, Levi shot him a look. "He's not a bad person." 

"I never said he was." Erwin replied. He knew Farlan wasn't a bad man, although he knew that the Firefly had done some bad things. But, Erwin couldn't hold it against him. Good people didn't exist. Not now, nor had they ever. The world had always been broken, he knew this. Now, it was just equally as broken people trying to piece back together a world that couldn't be repaired. It was far too late. Everyone was far too gone. 

"You asked me earlier how I knew him." Levi stated. Erwin blinked, glancing towards him and nodding a little. "We knew eachother before the outbreak. He was with me when I was bitten." 

"Three weeks ago?" Erwin asked. "Yeah. I've known him for more than 10 years." Levi looked away, staring at the floor. "You can trust him." 

"Alright." Erwin agreed. "You saved my life earlier. I owe you that. I'll trust him." 

"You don't owe me shit." Levi said with a dry chuckle, rolling his ryes. "Just be more careful." He said, his eyes scanning over the shadowed shapes of the others as they slept. "Your friends trust you alot. I don't think they'd last long without you," 

At this, Erwin frowned slightly. Levi was probably right. They'd be in shambles without him. The thought of him dying, of him having to abandon his friends, hurt him more than anything. Not being able to be with them, seeing them be picked off one by one, was one of his biggest fears in life. They were all he had left, without them he'd be alone in this cruel, unforgiving world. 

"You should get some sleep, Levi." Erwin said, after having paused for a moment. He looked down at the other. 

"Is that why you're awake?" Levi questioned, rolling his eyes once more. "You don't need to worry about me." 

"I'm not sure." Erwin admitted, giving a brief shrug of his shoulders. "I usually can't sleep if I know someone in the group is awake." 

"That's understandable." Levi replied. He have a small sigh, glancing towards Erwin. "Yeah, fine. I'll sleep." 

Erwin wasn't sure when he'd fallen asleep. Although, he'd been sleeping unexpectedly well... that was, until he felt a boot kick into his side sharply. 

"Oi." Came the voice that was growing all too familiar to him. "Wake up." 

Another jab to his side and he opened his eyes, looking up at Levi, who was standing over him. "Yeah," Erwin groaned, reaching with his hand to his rub at his aching side. "I'm up." He pushed himself into a sitting position, giving a low huff. 

"Sun's almost up." Levi said, glancing at the little beams of faint light that had managed to slip through the gaps between the boards that lined the windows. "We should get moving. Rain has slowed a bit. The guards probably won't go on patrol yet." Levi said. 

Erwin just nodded his agreement, standing and pulling his jacket on. He grabbed his backpack, slinging it around his shoulders. "We should probably take whatever food or medication was left here." Erwin said, glancing at some of the items still on the shelves. Alot of it was probably expired, but they would take what wasn't. Canned food was heavy and clunky and loud, but it was food. That's what mattered. 

"Yeah." Levi replied in agreement, reaching up to grab what looked like some kind of canned fruit. He then proceeded to set the cans neatly into his bag, occasionally making a face at the dust that clung to his fingers after he'd touched a can.

Erwin walked off, moving to go behind the counter before noticing something. It stood out from the rest of the gloomy, grime-covered interior of the store. It was polished and pretty. The snow globe that Levi had taken an interest in the other day. Erwin stopped to look at it, remembering the curious glimmer he'd seen in Levi's eyes the day prior. Erwin, almost impulsively, reached out and grabbed it, putting it into his bag. 

"Watcha doin'?" Hange asked, slapping a hand down on his shoulder. Erwin flinched slightly at the unexpected contact, but glanced towards them. "Nothing." Erwin replied, clearing his throat. "You took that." They said simply. "Short-stack had it the other day. You gonna give it to him?" 

"Probably." Erwin replied, reaching up to pry their hand from his shoulder. Hange rose a brow, looking at him in a teasing way that Erwin hated. A look Hange displayed often towards those around them but very rarely at him. "Someone's grown attached." They commented casually, brown eyes shifting away from Erwin to look at Levi from across the store curiously. "You know he's just another Job, right?" Hange asked, gaze flicking back to look at Erwin once more. "Yes," Erwin said, nodding. "Yes, I know." 

"Everyone ready?" Nanaba's voice cut in. "We should probably leave soon." She said, beginning to carefully move the knocked over shelf from the door. Mike, who had been leaning against the wall nearby, moved to help her. 

"Away we go." Hange chimed in, giving a little hum and they moved away from Erwin to grab their bag and sling it over their shoulders. 

Erwin stood there for a minute, watching as Levi made his way through the shelves, walking past Erwin. 

'Just another job.' Erwin told himself, a casual reminder. It wasn't like him to get attached to those around him. In a world like this, one would have to be accustomed to the fact that people came and people went. That was just the way of life, especially one like this.

He knew one thing for certain, though, Levi was special. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This is one of my first fanfictions. Any thoughts or commentary would be good! I'd love to hear what you think of it, although keep anything unkind to yourself. You can find me on Tumblr @vesperr any support would be appreciated.


End file.
